Historic Reliefs

This relief applied to hereditaments occupied by providers on Ofsted’s Early Years Register and wholly or mainly used for the provision of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which were subject to business rates in the years 2020/21 and 2021/22. There was no rateable value limit on the relief.

The amount of relief was 100% for eligible properties for 2020/21 and for the period 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021.

From 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022, the Nursery Discount was 66% and was capped at £105,000 per business.

A ratepayer may refuse the discount for each eligible hereditament anytime up to 30 April 2022. The ratepayer cannot withdraw their refusal for either all or part of the financial year.

All possible qualifying properties have been identified based on the property description given to an assessment by the Valuation Office Agency, and the relief will automatically be awarded. If you think you may qualify for this relief and have not received it, please contact us.

Guidance information

Further information can be found at Business rates: nursery (childcare) discount 2021 to 2022 – local authority guidance

Nursery discount guidance

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The Government announced a new COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) of £1.5 billion to support businesses affected by the pandemic but that were ineligible for existing support linked to Business Rates. 

Doncaster’s share of the allocation was £5,314,419 and was distributed to qualifying ratepayers in the form of a business rates relief for the financial year 21/22.

In line with the Government guidance the following exclusions applied;

• ratepayers who for the same period of the relief either are or would have been eligible for the Extended Retail Discount (covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure), the Nursery Discount or the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme (AGOSS),
• unoccupied properties (other than those which have become closed temporarily due to the government’s advice on COVID-19, which should be treated as occupied for the purposes of this relief).

Qualifying Criteria

The Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund Scheme helped those ratepayers whose businesses were within certain prescribed “Standard industrial classification of economic activities” (SIC codes), and who had been adversely affected by the pandemic and had been unable to adapt to the impact. 

The SIC codes that were awarded relief were;

• Manufacturing (35% relief)
• Education (35% relief)
• Health (10% relief)
• Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (35% relief)
• Information, Communication, Financial Intermediation, Real Estate and Business Services (10% relief)
• Transport (35% relief)

Awards of relief were initially made automatically and revised business rates bills were issued to all qualifying ratepayers showing the amount of relief awarded. 

Any relief provided by Local Authorities under the CARF scheme needed to comply with the UK’s domestic and international subsidy control obligations as set out in the guidance.

The deadline for applications for ratepayers who thought they might meet the qualifying conditions but had not been awarded relief was 30th September 2022. Any applications received after this date will not be considered for relief. 

Guidance information

DMBC Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund Scheme

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CARF_LA_Guidance

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In the Spring Budget 2017 the Chancellor announced a discretionary fund of £300M would be available over a four year period from 2017/18. This support was made available to support those businesses that faced the steepest increases in their Business Rates bills as a result of the 2017 Revaluation.

Each billing authority in England was provided with a share of £300 million to support their local businesses and were expected to use their share of funding to develop their own discretionary relief scheme with the aim of delivering targeted support to the most hard-pressed ratepayers.

City of Doncaster Council’s allocation of this funding for discretionary relief was £794k spread across the four years of the scheme. This comprised of £463k for 2017/18; £225k for 2018/19; £93k for 2019/20; and £13k for 2020/21. These amounts reflected the maximum level of relief that could be awarded to local businesses.

Each Authority was responsible for designing a policy in order for this funding to be distributed to local businesses. 

In order to qualify for this relief the following criteria had to be met;

• The ratepayer must have had an increase in their business rates bill of more than 7.5% due to the revaluation
• The rateable value of the premises must be below £200,000.
• The premises must have been occupied by the same ratepayer on 31^st March 2017 and 1^st April 2017
• An application including a completed state aid declaration was submitted

This relief was awarded automatically to all qualifying ratepayers.

Guidance information

Local Discretionary Scheme Policy 2017

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At the Spring Budget for 2017, the Government announced a new relief scheme for 2017/18 for pubs that were occupied and trading and had a rateable value of below £100,000.

Under the scheme, eligible pubs received a £1,000 discount on their bill. 

At the Spring Budget for 2017, the Government announced a relief scheme for pubs that were occupied and trading and had a rateable value of below £100,000. Under the scheme, eligible pubs received a £1,000 discount on their bill. The relief took effect for 2017/18. 

In a Ministerial statement on 27 January 2020, the Government announced a further £1,000 business rates discount for public houses with an RV of less than £100,000, for one year from 1 April 2020.

To qualify, the premises must be occupied, have an RV below £100,000, and must;

• be open to the general public
• allow free entry other than when occasional entertainment is provided
• allow drinking without requiring food to be consumed
• permit drinks to be purchased at a bar.

Relief for 2020/21 was awarded automatically to all qualifying pubs it has been possible to identify and has been included on bills.

If you think you may qualify for this relief and did not receive it, please submit an application using the form on the right. 

Any relief awarded is subject to state aid limitations.

Guidance information and application

Pub Relief Policy

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Pub Relief Guidance 2020-21

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Pub Relief Application Form

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As part of the March 2017 budget, the Government announced that it will provide Business Rates relief for businesses who have lost Small Business Rates or Rural Rate Relief following the 2017 property revaluation. The relief would limit any increase in the ratepayer’s 2017/18 bill to £600 more than they paid in 2016/17. Full details of the scheme can be found in the policy document on the right.

This relief is awarded automatically and amended bills have been issued to qualifying ratepayers.

Any relief awarded is subject to state aid limitations.

Guidance / policy information

Supporting Small Businesses Relief Policy

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